Lamp-holder



Sept. 29, 1931. F. H. OWENS 1,825,121

LAMP HOLDER Filed May 5. 1929 g m I I 7.

IN VEN TOR.

MAN HOW N8 Jay 7 ATTORNE Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT"OFFICE FREEMAN H. OWENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO OWENSDEVELOPMENT COR- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK LAMP-HOLDER Application filed May 3, 1929.Serial No. 1360,2491

This invention relates to improvements in a lamp holder, the principalobject of the invention being to provide a device for use in connectionwith apparatus in which a constant supply of light at a'fixed positionis required, by means of which device, in case of the burning out orother functional failure of the lamp supplying such light, the defectivelamp can be instantaneously 1O shifted out of position and a perfectlamp substituted therefor without any appreciable interruption of thelight supply.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, V

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the features of thepresent inven- 20 tion, the frame or housing being shown in sectiontaken approximately on the line l1 of Figure 3, two-different positionsof the light shifter being illustrated in full and dotted linesrespectively;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device, the housing being shown insection; and

Figure 3 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 1.

The same characters of reference desig- So mate the same parts in allthe figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designats a portion of a housing, which maybe that'of a sound recording or reproducing apparatus 3: or any otherdevice wherein it is necessary to have an uninterrupted supply of lightat a predetermined position. Near the lower end of one side wall of thehousing is provided an insulated bracket 2 in which is supported forrotary movement the lower end of a shaft 3. To the shaft 3 is securedimmediately above the bracket 2 a base member 4, said member havingadjustably inounted thereon a pair of light sockets 5 and 6, and belowthe base member, a spring contact member 7 is secured to the bracket inposition to make contact with a lamp carried by whichever of the sockets5 and 6 that happens to be in the operative position as 59 shown, inFigures 2 and 3, the relative angular position of the sockets being suchthat when one socket is incontacting position over thespring 7 the othersocket is out of contacting position. The base-member 41 is providedwith fiat faces8 and 9 at anangle socket in said position.

In order to permit the ready removal of the entire device from thehousing, the operating shaft is made in two parts, the upper part 3abeing journaled in the top wall of the housing in an insulatingbushing3b and provided outside of said wall with an operating knob or button11. The parts 3 andBa are connected by an insulated sleeve 12 secured tothe part 3a and'provided with diametrically opposite slots 13 opening atthe end of the sleeve for engagement with a transversely extending pin14.- carried by the shaft 3 whereby the parts 3a and 3 will be rotatedtogether. In order to prevent accidental disengagement of the parts 8and 3a, a coil spring 15 wound around the part 3a bears at one end onthe sleeve 12 and at its opposite end on the top wall of the bushing31), as shown clearly in Figure 2. It will thus be seen that a positivelifting action of the part 3a is necessary to separate the parts 3' and3a, and when the parts, are so separated, the part 3, together with thebase 4 and lamp sockets, can be lifted out of its bearing in the bracket2.

In operation one of the sockets, for instance the socket 5, carrying alamp 16 is in operative position so that the contact portion of the lampis in engagement with the fixed spring contact 7, in which position itis positively held by the engagement of spring 10 with the flat surface9 of the base member 4:. If for any reason the lamp 16 should fail, itis necessary only to turn the shaft by means of the knob 11 to bring theother socket 6 having a lamp therein into operative position over thespring contact 7, in which position it is maintained by engagement ofspring 10 with the flat face 8 of the base member.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. A lamp holder, comprising a movable base having a plurality oflamp-carrying sockets adjustably secured thereon, means for moving saidbase to bring the lamps carried thereby succesively into a predeterminedoperative position, flat stop faces formed on said base corresponding innumber to said lamps, a resilient member adapted to engage said stopfaces successively thereby positively to retain the base in position foreach successive lamp, and a fixed contact member beneath said base forengagement by said lamps when moved to operative position.

2. A device of the char eter described comprising a housing, a shaftmounted for rotation therein, a base member secured to said shaft forrotation therewith, a plurality of lamp sockets disposed on said base inangular relation to each other, means for rotating said shaft thereby tomove said lamp sockets in an angular path, a fixed electrical springcontact member disposed in position to be engaged successively by thelamps in said sockets, said base having a plurality of flat faces formedthereon one for each of said lamp sockets, and resilient means forengaging said faces and positively retaining successive lamps incontact-engaging position.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

FREEMAN H. OWENS.

